Over the weekend, we had the pleasure of presenting our Annual Awards in Queenstown at our Annual General Meeting & Awards Evening for the 2022/23 season. Congratulations to all our worthy recipients. 

Honours Award - Peter Deans (Otago Administration)

We are proud to present Peter with a Swimming Otago Honours Award. Many will know Peter as a friendly face on pool deck, attending almost all meets in our regional calendar - often in the role of technical director. Peter is a National Accredited Starter and Inspector of Turns, as well as a Regional Accredited Referee. Peter is also a member of the Swimming New Zealand Events Advisory Committee, where he advocates for the needs of swimmers from Otago and beyond.

Peter consistently amasses more than 170 hours officiating on pool deck each season, and regularly offers training, guidance, and mentorship to other Otago technical officials and trainees. Above all, Peter is an easy going, approachable, and well respected leader amongst our Otago technical officials, who is passionate about providing swimmers with the opportunity to race, and is willing to go above and beyond to ensure that this opportunity is provided to all.

Peter is a past president of Swimming Otago, and has fulfiled just about every role you could imagine in the sport. He is also actively involved on the Swimming Otago Awards Committee, and regularly assists in setting up and packing away necessary equipment at competitions. 

Service Award - Mark Familton (Neptune Swim Club)

We are proud to present Mark with a Swimming Otago Service Award. Mark is a respected member of our Otago swimming community - having been involved with the sport since his children began swimming in 2007, and notably serving on the Swimming Otago Board since 2017.

Over the years, he has fulfilled a number of roles at Neptune Swim Club - most recently leading the club in his role of president, a position he has held since 2020. Mark is a valued member of Neptune - and his vast experience with the sport is invaluable. He is involved with the club at all levels - from encouraging the young swimmers at club nights to supporting the older athletes to achieve their goals. 

Mark has been involved with the sport as a technical official since 2015, and has worked his way up to being an accredited Regional Starter. He is also no stranger to team managing teams travelling to competitions across the country, a position in which he needed to take much time off work. Mark is often found setting up and packing away necessary equipment at competitions, including the bridge. 

Mark's passion for and involvement in the sport, long after his children finished competing, is admirable. Mark always makes times to help others and offer his services, whether that be coming up with innovative ideas on the Swimming Otago Board, giving up his time to assist at swimming competitions, or supporting the next generation of swimmers at club nights. 

Merit Award - Tanisha Keach (Neptune Swim Club)

It is our pleasure to acknowledge Tanisha's contribution to swimming in the Otago region with a Swimming Otago Merit Award. Tanisha is an integral part of our Swimming Otago team of volunteers, using her expertise to lead our marketing communications and the management of our social media channels and website. If you see a post or article from Swimming Otago, 99% of the time Tanisha is the one behind it. Tanisha also regularly volunteers on pool deck at our events, giving up her weekends to shoot photos and capture those precious moments for our community. When not behind the camera, Tanisha never hesitates to help out in some other way - whether that be in the recorder's office, marshalling, or announcing.

Tanisha has been an active volunteer for a number of years now - giving up countless hours of her time and going above and beyond to give back to the swimming community.

Club of the Year - Neptune Swim Club

This award recognises a Member Club that has positively impacted their swimmers, volunteers, coaches, administrators, supporters, and the local community over the season.

Neptune Swim Club has gone from strength to strength in the 2022/23 season. The club consistently demonstrating their commitment to excellence, by fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for swimmers of all ages and skill levels. From working closely with their partners at JC Swim School to ensure the sound development of junior swimmers at the club level, to nurturing their competitive athletes through financial support to compete at a level which requires travel. 

The Neptune King's Birthday Meet (previously Queen's Birthday Meet) continues to be one of the biggest events on the Otago calendar, providing a high calibre competition for swimmers from across the region to experience close to home. The club's cohort of technical officials continues to grow, as their team support swimmers by volunteering at competitions across the region.

The achievement of Neptune swimmers on the world stage, and growing cohort of international representatives, has also highlighted the club's commitment to seeing swimmers achieve. The club currently has five Aquablacks and a few more international representatives. Impressively, Neptune athletes made up more than a quarter of the New Zealand team that competed at the World Short Course Championships in December. 

This is the third time Neptune Swim Club has received this award.

Coach of the Year - Shane Allan (Alexandra Swimming Club)

This award recognises outstanding contribution to the sport over the season. The award considers swimming performances, broader services to the sport, and their relationship with the region.

The 2022/23 season has been another successful 12 months for everyone at Alexandra Swimming Club, with Shane's leadership and passion for the sport taking the club to new heights.

But, coaching is not all that Shane does. Shane started his own company just over a year ago, and is subsequently an incredibly busy man juggling his various responsibilities. However, this has never hindered Shane's commitment to Alexandra Swimming Club - taking time out of his business to attend Division II, National Age Group Championships, and the New Zealand Swimming Championships and coach his athletes to success. In the lead up to these national events, Shane was at the pool morning and night with the club's senior swimmers while working full time at this business during the day time, as well as supporting the younger squad swimmers with his coaching.

Shane remains one of the leading coaches in the region, offering his time to support and guide Swimming Otago initiatives such as the Otago Triad Tournament and Regional Development Squad. He is always willing to share his knowledge and help swimmers succeed locally and regionally. If swimmers are at meets without a coach, he readily adopts them for the meet or if someone asks for help, he gives up is time to meet with them. During school holidays, if Dunedin based swimmers are back home in Central Otago, Shane offers his support to these athletes by encouraging them to train with the Alexandra Swimming Club squad.

This is the second time Shane has received this award.

Volunteer of the Year - Gillian Sugiyama (Kiwi ASC)

This award is presented to a volunteer with outstanding commitment and dedication to swimming over the season.

Gillian has been an invaluable volunteer within the Swimming Otago community over the 2022/23 season - giving up her time to support athletes at all levels of the sport. Not only is Gillian a technical official, but she also is a valued member of the Swimming Otago Board, the Otago Events and Technical Committee, and the Kiwi Swim Club committee.

An instrumental member of our cohort of technical officials, Gillian regularly gives up her time to help out on pool deck. In fact, over the 2022/23 season, Gillian officiated at almost all meets on our Otago calendar, as well as four national competitions - an indication of her commitment and passion for supporting our Otago swimmers to achieve their goals. She continues to also develop as a technical official, having passed her Judge of Stroke assessment earlier this year.

Gillian's contribution to swimming in Otago has been immeasurable over the season - working with her fellow Swimming Otago board members to revamp the Otago technical official pathway, engaging with the sport in her role on the Events and Technical Committee, and working hard behind the scenes to recruit new technical officials from within her club.

At a club level, Gillian is a committee member at Kiwi Swim Club and the convener of the club's competitive sub-committee. She has spearheaded various fundraising initiatives for the club, with the aim of reducing the financial barriers for athletes wishing to travel to national competitions. Subsequently, the club has seen a resurgance of representatives on the national stage. Beyond this, Gillian has also taken on the responsibility of organising the upcoming Kiwi Challenge meet.

Regional Swimmer of the Year - Luan Grobbelaar (Neptune Swim Club)

This award is presented to the swimmer who has excelled during the nomination period.

The 2022/23 season was a game changer for Luan, making his first senior international New Zealand team. Upon being selected to represent New Zealand at the World Short Course Championships, Luan became the first Otago male to make a senior international team since Hamish McLean in 2019. At the World Short Course Championships, Grobbelaar placed 13th in the 400m Individual Medley and became the fourth fastest New Zealander of all time over the short course event.

After an outstanding performance at the New Zealand Championships in April, Luan became the third fastest New Zealander of all time in the long course 400m Individual Medley - gaining selection to the World Aquatic Championships squad, a competition where he would make his Aquablack debut. Despite battling some injuries over the 2022/23 season, Luan broke eight Otago Open Records and achieved his first World Aquatics 'A' time - a testament to his perserverance and determination.

Luan is a huge inspiration, and fantastic role model, to so many in the Otago region and beyond. He is an encouraging, positive team member of Neptune Swim Club and the Swim Dunedin programme - and has volunteered his time to participate in the showcase swim at the South Island Junior Championships earlier this year and timekeep when suffering from injuries.

Female Emerging Swimmer of the Year - Heidi Winter (Alexandra Swimming Club)

This award is presented to an up-and-coming female swimmer aged 16 years old or younger, whom has excelled during the nomination period.

It was a break out season for Heidi in 2022/23, competing at the New Zealand Short Course and National Age Group Championships for the first time - picking up medals at both competitions.

Heidi’s diligence and attitude to hard work is second to none. In early 2022, she set the goal of medalling at the National Age Group Championships. After a lot of hard work and dedication, this goal became a reality when she finished on the podium in the 100m Freestyle at NAGS earlier this year. Heidi also picked up two silver medals at the 2022 New Zealand Short Course Championships - an outstanding achievement.

Despite being only 14 years old, Heidi has developed as a leader in the Alexandra Swimming Club squad. She is a mentor and friend to younger swimmers at the club, often sharing her swimming
knowledge and insights. She has shown younger swimmers how to set goals and work hard to achieve them.

Above all, Heidi has a well balanced, positive approach to life - pursuing a wide range of interests outside of swimming such as hockey, dance, piano, and academics. 

Male Emerging Swimmer of the Year - Caleb Ludlow (Alexandra Swimming Club)

This award is presented to an up-and-coming male swimmer aged 16 years old or younger, whom has excelled during the nomination period.

Caleb has continued to develop from strength to strength over the 2022/23 season - picking up an impressive four medals at the 2022 New Zealand Short Course Championships, becoming the open South Island Long Course Champion in the 200m Breaststroke, and solidifying his role as a key leader amongst the Alexandra Swimming Club squad.

Caleb also competed at the New Zealand Championships - this is the first time in many years that a representative of the club took part in this pinnacle competition on the New Zealand swimming calendar. At these championships, a notable highlight was when Caleb placed 10th in the 200m Breaststroke. He was also a four time finalist at the National Age Group Championships.

If you have ever been to a meet where Caleb is competing, you will often find him on pool deck cheering on his junior club mates and offering feedback after races. He serves as a fantastic role model and mentor for his club mates, with his encouragement spurring on the next generation.

Outside of the pool, Caleb maintains an impressive academic record and is a passionate pianist.

Article added: Wednesday 20 September 2023